New Year Resolutions that rock the Ack!Thbbbt! House

(Yes, I realize this post is a couple weeks late, too. So, sue me twice.)

I don't do resolutions anymore.
But, the husband requires the boys to make one.

This year, Elder Son decided his resolution needs to be to play computer games less.
"That is a good resolution," the husband told him. "How are you going to do that? Usually, to remove one habit, you have to replace it with another activity."
Elder Son, on his own, volunteered that he could read for equal computer time.
"If I read for ten minutes, I get ten minutes on the computer."

We said yes so fast we got bonus points.

Younger Son liked the idea so much he made it his resolution, too.

I ran out to the nearest store and picked up two $3 kitchen timers. For the rest of their holiday break from school, each boy used his own timer to count up his reading time and count down his playing time.
The husband and I just stared at them.

And they did it again this weekend.
Without us telling them to!

"Who taught them that kind of discipline?"
"Dunno. Wasn't either one of us. Wanna watch TV?"
"Yes."